1. Field of the Invention
This application, in part, relates to methodology for qualitatively detecting the presence of metabolites of natural opiate-type compounds in physiological fluids, particularly human urine. Additionally, it includes a carrier, i.e., a treated paper or dipstick, which has been proven to be especially useful for the qualitative or semi-quantitative analysis of body fluids such as urine or saliva for the presence of drug abuse compound residues.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The need for a rapid qualitative and semi-quantative screening device for the detection of natural opiate-type compounds and resultant metabolites is increasing with the enhanced worldwide utilization of these compounds as well as their structurally similar synthetic analogs. Currently, most of the available analytical procedures for determining opiates in urine are either insufficiently sensitive, unacceptably slow, or involve testing with expensive instruments at a cost that prevents their utilization in situations other than a reference laboratory environment.
The various problems and difficulties in most analytical procedures are clearly recited by Friedenberg in U.S. Pat. No. 3,915,639. Other existing dipstick prior art teachings for detection of various drugs in urine include U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,464,756, 3,468,639, 3,509,872, 3,531,254 and 3,776,114. All show dipsticks for analytical testing of physiological fluids which use an ion exchange material to concentrate the suspected compound. also, as pointed out in Friedenberg, ". . . in each instance, the range of compounds being tested for is relatively narrow, with uniquely defined chemical properties."
In drug abuse testing, the requirements for detectability are very low and the range of compounds is extremely expansive; a need exists for a method of rapid drug detection which identifies drugs by a simple and direct method not requiring solvent extraction.